


Of Paper and Field Work

by HonestlyCasualTaco



Series: In The Vastness of The Valley - Stardew Valley [3]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Cute, Cutesy, F/M, First Dates, No Beta, Play Fighting, Taunting, Teasing, basically a date, but otherwise i think its good, cause that totally wasn't going to happen in a stardew valley fic, farming, gender-neutral except for one part, i literally dont know how to write about girls or guys, it just exists okay, it uses female pronouns for a small part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 02:50:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18437495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HonestlyCasualTaco/pseuds/HonestlyCasualTaco
Summary: hhhnnng is this how you write a female reader?? I have no clue my guys. Hope you like it at least!





	Of Paper and Field Work

You don’t expect to see Elliott in front of your house that morning, long hair tied back and hands fidgeting together nervously. Nor the lack or his red coat, instead going for his normal green pants and his undershirt. He waves nervously at you and pushes a few strands of his hair behind his ear.

“So, I’m uh, here to help around the farm!”

It comes across as weird from Elliott, of all people. Who spends most of his time with the sea breeze curling into his hair and laid out into the hot press of the sand. Or inside his house writing into the night or playing his piano. But he isn’t doing any of those things. He is here, on your doorstep with a trembling smile.

“You, you want to help with the farm?” It comes out judgtngly and he furrows his eyebrows at the words. You quickly add, “Not that I wouldn’t mind the help! I’m just curious, is all.”

He brings a nervous finger up to curl into the ends of his hair, “Well, I’m trying to take my writing different places. Exploring where it may go next! And- I well, I decided to maybe write about a farmer. I needed some experience and I thought well,-” He spreads his hands out gesturing to your farm. “-here may as well be the best place!”

You can’t help but giggle and nod, “Why of course! I’d be happy to help you with your research.”  

And suddenly he is smiling again, bright and confident.

“Then let’s get to it!”

 

* * *

 

You start off with the easy things, for his sake. Watering the plants, getting the eggs and milk. The simple stuff.

When you start to work on clearing out a bit more of the field the sun has already made its way up the sky, shining down on you beneath the soft clouds. Elliott has the gall to unbutton his shirt halfway. You shouldn’t have accepted this proposition. You’ve just been distracted the whole time anyway. Watching as he chased the chickens, or as he pulled the leaves of the flowers up close to him, inhaling their sweet scent. The sweet comments he made of their heavenly scent and natures prowess.

And what’s worse was even with the easiness of the task Elliott still found himself with dirt covering him. His normally clean face shining with sweat and patches of dirt. His sleeves rolled up on his now tinted shirt. No man had a right to look that good. No man.

“What now?”

You snap your head to see Elliott standing beside you, fashionably draped across a tree. You set down your pickaxe and gaze around, “You up for a bit of tree cutting?”

He gives you a small smirk, gently taking the ax from you. “Of course! Besides its been a while since I’ve taken a tree on! I do miss the feeling.” You stifle a laugh and go to work on the rocks. You can hear the thwack of the ax against the tree, mixed with the pitch of his grunt. The tree comes down after a few more hefty hits. You have to remind yourself that he is a writer and not a muscular model in one of your farming magazines.

 

* * *

 

You sat on the steps of your house, leaning back on one arm and munching on your energy bar. Elliott let out a loud groan as he sat down beside you, one arm pressed up against his back as he shuffled to sit.

“How do you do it?”

You glance at him and smile. “Well, I need to make money somehow.” He snorts and nudges you.

“You know that’s not what I mean, I’m talking about all of this work in a day and then going to the mines and fishing? You must always be exhausted.” He reclines against the pole before kicking his feet up.

“Who said I wasn’t tired?” The energy bar in your hand should be enough to go off of. If only he saw the number of wrappers you had in your trash can. “Besides in some ways, it’s rewarding, ya know. I did all this. I grew those plants, I raised those chickens, I cleared the area. I did this and while I might not be making the most money or be sore every day it still makes me happy. Ya know?”

The gentle look Elliott has looks so soft against his rugged features you can’t help but soften too. He looks so perfect there. On your doorstep, hair ceremoniously falling out of his ponytail and framing his face. You fight the urge to scoot closer to him and focus on the field ahead of you.

“No, I get it. It’s like the emotional labor it takes to write a book. The nights you spent bent over your desk raking your brain for ideas, getting them onto the paper. They may be your ideas but you still have to make them flourish, make then shine so that everyone can see what you see. I get it, I really do.” He takes a bite of his energy bar and almost dramatically looks off into the distance. It would be a perfect part for his book. Just the description of him right here. Looking so exhausted and sore, yet so himself and the smile that graces his lips ties it all together.

You swallow down the remainder of the bar and pat his knee. He jerks his head up to you, “Hm?”

“Oh come on, you can’t think we were already done! We still got more to do!” You struggle to bring yourself up before reaching a hand out to Elliott. “The faster we get this done the faster we can rest!” He groans loudly at that line and takes your hand.

“Only if you promise me dinner! That energy bar can’t possibly be enough for you.”

You chuckle and push a hand to your chest, “You hurt me! Of course, I have more food but I also have more work to do! I’ll show you what we got when we’re done. You’ll love it!” And just as you expected the thought of a meal spurs him on and he matches your pace into the unknown.

 

* * *

 

You can hear the scuffle of his footsteps behind you as you finally reach your home. You quickly place all the new gems you’ve found in your chest and move to open the door. Elliott grimaces at every step he takes up the stairs.

“You are too much.”

You lead him into your house with a giggle, “This is my daily routine, just so you know.”

He mumbles an “Impossible!” before plopping down on one of your chairs. You move to take off your jacket, setting your backpack down next to the door. You miss Elliott’s gaze and move to the fridge.

“Besides, you think it’s bad right now? Just wait until tomorrow.”

You laugh when Elliott stuffs his face into his hands and groans. “Hey, it was your idea to help!”

You gently slide him the plate of steaming crab cakes and watch his eyes light up. “When did you get the chance to make these?” He is already pulling at the bread and stuffing it into his mouth. “Before our break, I put them in the oven.”

He thanks you through his not-so-elegant mouth of bread and you just laugh. You both eat in silence, enjoying the fluffiness of the cake. Just through the window, you can see how low the suns got in the background. It sends orange sun beams through the blinds, giving the room such a perfect glow. It would be one of those nights you turn in early, watching the sunset from the porch while you eat dinner. It’s so much better with Elliott. You look at him and he is peaceful, reclined on his chair, soft smile and you can tell sleep is already coming for him. You can’t pass up the moment.

“So, this farmer character, you ever gonna tell me about them?”

Elliott almost chokes on his crab cake and then heavily pounds his hand against his chest to clear his throat.

“Well, I uh…She is new in town and she becomes a farmer. I re-really don’t have anything, uh planned out for her yet.” He stumbles over his words and looks almost everywhere but you.

“Oh really, what brought you to wanting to write a farmer in the first place?”

“Well, I thought I might as well branch out with my characters you know, try something new.”

Elliott has always been good at smooth talking. Delving into the sweetest things and pulling at the furthest corners of your imagination but now? He couldn’t be worse.

“What do they look like?”

You give him a sweet smile as he squirms in his seat, stuffing more crab cakes down his throat to avoid answering. You lean onto your hand and raise a curious eyebrow intent on figuring out.

“It’s you, okay! I wanted to write about you!” His face is bright red as he focuses on the floorboards, tracing their every crevice.

You are startled by his sudden yell and feel your face heat up. You had expected the teasing to go on a little longer, rile him up a bit before you sent him home. Not that.

“Nature’s precipice at your door. The wilderness surrounding you, closing in and yet you still make this place yours. You found a way to make your own life here and effectively changed mine. You have so much courage and bravery…I couldn’t not make a character modeled after you.”

The pink tinting his cheeks isn’t burning red as before and you can clearly see his confidence finding its way back to him. You smile, leaning to him, wrapping your fingers around his. He tightens the grip, smile bright and loving. You look at the window, sun dipping into the hills, a dark blue filling the sky.

“Maybe you should stay the night. It’s getting dark out and I don’t think you’ll make it with how sore you are.”

He scoffs at you taunting but nods, leaning in closer to you.

“Absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> hhhnnng is this how you write a female reader?? I have no clue my guys. Hope you like it at least!


End file.
